Second Season Starts Wednesday

Women's Basketball 3/1/2021 11:35:00 AM

Second Season Starts Wednesday

TOURNEY BRACKET

TOURNEY PROGRAM

Kearney, Neb. – The nationally-ranked Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team begins postseason play on Wednesday (March 3) when it hosts the Pittsburg State Gorillas in an MIAA Tournament first round game.

Normally this event is played in Kansas City and is a 10-team event. Due to the ongoing pandemic the field was cut by two with campus sites serving as the sites of competition. The top four seeds are at home Wednesday with the highest remaining seed after the first round hosting the semifinals (March 6) and finals (March 7).

UNK (19-3) is the third seed with Pitt (14-8) being the sixth. The winner plays either Central Missouri or Washburn on Friday at a time to be determined. Those not in attendance can catch the action via The MIAA Network or on KRVN radio (93.1 FM/106.9 FM).

Earlier this year in Kansas the Lopers posted a tough 57-53 win over the Gorillas. Junior forward Elisa Backes (20 points & 11 rebounds), redshirt sophomore forward Shiloh McCool (10) and sophomore guard Trinity Law (10) combined for 40 points off the bench as UNK erased a 47-41 fourth quarter deficit. Kearney managed 19 points off 10 Gorilla turnovers while being plus 11 on the glass. The series is still in favor of Pitt, 26-14, with the Gorillas having won in its last two trips to the Health & Sports Center.

Having an 8-3 road record, Pitt is led by 5-5 junior guard Kaylee DaMitz (16.6 points, 5.4 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game) and 5-7 junior guard Tristan Gregg (16.3 points & 4.4 rebounds pg). The combined for 30 points, nine boards and eight dimes in the first meeting with UNK.

The Lopers, 2-7 all-time in the MIAA Tournament, are 9-2 at home this winter. Backes (Salina, Kan.) is up to 13.5 points per game thanks to being in double figures in seven of the last eight games. Her average zooms up to 18.9 during that stretch. Next, junior post Brooke Carlson (Elkhorn) is sitting at 898 career points, most on the team. She is at 50.3 percent from the field and 9.8 points a night. McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.) leads the team in field goal percentage (54.7) and has been in double digits six times.

In the backcourt Law and veteran Haley Simental (Pueblo West, Colo.) having been hot of late. Law had a combined 22 points last weekend with Simental going for 16 in the win at Missouri Western. She as sunk four threes in two of the last four contests.

The NCAA Division II Tournament selection show airs at 9 p.m. Central on www.ncaa.com.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Elisa Backes: G/F; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#45 Brooke Carlson: C; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#25 Shiloh McCool: G/F; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#10 Haley Simental: G; 5' 8"; Graduate Student

#23 Trinity Law: G; 5' 9"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#5 Elisa Backes
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G/F

#45 Brooke Carlson
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: C

#25 Shiloh McCool
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: G/F

#10 Haley Simental
: 5' 8"; Graduate Student
: G

#23 Trinity Law
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: G